Re: A. sp. Wangenflecken??

[Mike & Diane Wise <apistowise@bewellnet.com>]

Bailin Shaw wrote:

> Mike,
>
> So these fish are not the A. borelli blue morph?

Balin,

I don't think so. I am wrong on many occasions, but I doubt it on this one.

>  I'm relatively new at
> working with apistos and the fish that I purchased from Petsmart were
> thought to be the borelli's.

I couldn't put it better than Z-Man did. Large chain stores are more prone to
using the names that arrive on their invoice. Sometimes the ma&pa stores (and
even chain stores with exceptional managers) will take the time to ID their fish
to the best of their ability, but how many apisto ID experts do you know out
there who are running a store?

> However, looking at the fish, mine show
> considerable similarities to the one picture on the link.  I'm SO confused.

Don't feel alone. After 25 years working with apistos I have problems, too.

> Help?  Is there any way of getting a pair for spawning or is this a hybrid
> better left alone?  Reading these post on the fish shown is downright
> depressing.

Don't feel too "down". If you like the fish, I'd try finding a caetei-like female
and see what happens. A hybrid isn't necessarily a bad thing (except blood parrot
cichlids maybe). Most of us started with hybrids in our tanks (domestic
swordtails, moon & variatus platies) because they are so colorful and easy to
breed. Is a healthy, fertile, hybrid apisto any different? I just don't like
people passing them off as a valid species.

> It only shows that I have a ton to learn still about
> identification of apistos.  Are there any good references to look at.  I
> have checked on the Krib and my dwarf cichlid books, but haven't seen a
> clear indication of what this particular species is.  Any help would be
> appreciated.

I'm afraid that no book has all of the apisto species presently known. Probably
the best ID book in English is Linke & Staeck's 1994 edition of American Cichlids
I - Dwarf Cichlids. Unfortunately you have to page through every species to
narrow your ID down, but it does list similar species for each species listed.
Undoubtedly the best book written so far on apisto ID is Koslowski's Die
Buntbarsche der Neuen Welt - Zwergcichliden. Unfortunately it's a bit old and out
of print right now. I'm looking forward to Koslowski's collaboration with
Stawikowski on vol. 2 of Die Buntbarsche Amerikas. Koslowski's apisto section in
the volume should be an updated version of his old book. I've been told that it
will only be published in German, but I hope to have an English translation of
the apisto section as soon as I find time to translate it.

Mike Wise

> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
> This is the apistogramma mailing list, apisto@listbox.com.
> For instructions on how to subscribe or unsubscribe or get help,
> email apisto-request@listbox.com.
> Search http://altavista.digital.com for "Apistogramma Mailing List Archives"!





-------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is the apistogramma mailing list, apisto@listbox.com.
For instructions on how to subscribe or unsubscribe or get help,
email apisto-request@listbox.com.
Search http://altavista.digital.com for "Apistogramma Mailing List Archives"!